“No.” She felt him pulling away and she tightened her hold. She wasn’t letting him get away with putting barriers of useless titles between them. “I’m not your princess, Mitch. I’m your mate.”
There it was. The stark, undeniable truth. She saw a momentary flair of panic in his eyes. But then something settled down and he seemed to inhale very deliberately and close his eyes. When he opened them, the look in them was very different. Resigned. Concerned. And joyous.
She understood the mixed emotions very well. Mating was a big deal. He’d be cavalier if he wasn’t worried. For that matter, mating her—in their precarious political position—was something to be very concerned about. She knew it. And she knew he knew it. They’d be fools to not consider what their mating might mean in the bigger picture.
But it was also a biological imperative. An undeniable force of nature that demanded they come together. In all the world, his was the one soul matched to hers. He was the one man she needed as no other. And she was the same for him. She knew it in her heart.
For that’s what mating was among shifters. It was a Goddess-given bond between two souls, two people and their two inner beasts. It was sacred and special. And it could be very scary as well as intensely satisfying.
“You feel it too?” he finally asked in a rough voice, so deeply pitched it rumbled along her spine like the softest of caresses.
“Since the moment you came out of that shower without the chemicals clouding your scent. Although, if I’m honest, I’d say I was attracted to you well before then. When I first saw you in Ellie’s guest room, I knew there was something about you.” She reached up and pushed a lock of golden hair away from his face. “You’re a handsome man, Mitch. You know that. But there was more. Some inner…something…that attracted me. I liked the way you fought against the poison that would have killed almost anyone else. I liked your spirit and your determination. You were brave too. So brave when it looked like you might not win the fight. My heart broke for you, and when it came back together, you were deep inside, never to be removed. And a big chunk of it became yours.”
She smiled, stroking his stubbled cheek. The rasp of his short bristles against her fingers sent shivers down her spine to settle in her center. She loved touching him and reveled in the freedom to finally touch him like a lover.
“Gina…” he whispered, dipping his head to hers and joining their lips in a sweet, sweet kiss. He drew back but didn’t go far, his hands framing her face. “You are the most beautiful woman in the world. Your heart, your courage, your compassion and strength humble me.” He dipped closer, planting another short kiss on her parted lips. “I’ve tried to stay away. I know I’m no good for you. And I worry about the future. I could lose the challenge, and if that happens, I didn’t want to leave you alone and hurting.”
His gaze was deadly serious as he laid out the worst-case scenario in stark words. She nodded, raising her hands to hold his forearms on either side of her as he slid his hands to cup her shoulders.
“If that happens, I would be hurt regardless. Even if we never consummate this union, my heart knows its mate. And if you leave this plane of existence, I would mourn you. I might even want to follow you,” she whispered, admitting her deepest fear.
“Never.” His tone was adamant and he squeezed her shoulders for emphasis. “Promise me right now that you’ll never give up like that.”
She had to look away from the anger in his eyes. “I can’t.” Her voice broke as worry overtook her for a short, painful moment. “I don’t think I’m strong enough to go on without you,” she admitted in a small, frightened voice.
Loving brought vulnerability. She had learned that in the short time she’d known Mitch. It also brought strength and joy. They had to concentrate on that while they could. The worst would come. It always did. But for now, they could just be happy. Just for a little while. She just needed to convince him of it.
“You are the strongest woman I know,” Mitch insisted, one big hand going to her nape and pulling her in to his chest once more. He snaked his other hand around her waist.
She absorbed his warmth and was comforted by it. He was such a good man. The world would be a sadder place if he was taken from it.
She couldn’t let that happen. No way. No how.
“I’m glad you think so.” She needed to change the subject. She hadn’t meant to let this turn into something maudlin. This was supposed to be a joyous time. A time of discovery and celebration of the newness of acknowledging their bond. “I’d rather you thought I was the sexiest woman you know though, just for the record.”
She looked up at him, smiling and hoping he’d follow her lead in lightening the mood. She knew she’d hit the jackpot when he dipped his head lower once more.
He took her mouth in a hot, wet kiss that left her in no doubt about how he felt. He devoured her this time, staking his claim and demanding her compliance. She gave it willingly. Surrender was her pleasure and her inner tigress purred at his masterful dominance. This was the man she’d been dreaming about. The man of action and confidence who knew what he wanted and took it.
He broke the kiss and stole her breath by scooping her up into his arms. He walked toward the fire rather than the bed and she wanted to purr. There was a sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace that she’d been dreaming about ever since they’d come to the cabin. With the gas flames licking happily upward and shedding both heat and a fanciful light over the area, it was the perfect setting for a magical seduction.
Whether she’d seduced him or he was seducing her was a moot point. They were together. Finally. And there was no turning back now.
Mitch laid her down on the fluffy sheepskin, loving the way the softness of the pelt outlined her gorgeous features. She was a dream to him. A beautiful, aching dream of what could be—what was—on this magical, Goddess-given night.
He didn’t know how long this could last, but for whatever time they had left, they would be together. He couldn’t let her go now. Not after the heartbreaking way she’d admitted to the truth he could no longer deny.
He had thought staying away from her would protect her. He’d been wrong. Denying the pure fact that they were destined mates wasn’t doing either of them any good. Though uncertainty dominated their future, all he needed to worry about was the next few minutes…the next few hours…the next few days. The rest would take care of itself. Living in the moment was the best they could do for now.
Mitch gave in. He decided to take what time the Goddess would grant him with the love of his life and run with it. Whether they lasted a few days or a few decades was in the hands of the Mother of All, though Mitch vowed to do everything in his power to stay with Gina as long as he possibly could. It was added incentive—as if he needed any—to win the challenge he knew was coming.
He’d do anything for Gina. But for a chance to spend the rest of his life with her? He’d move mountains. He’d find a way to make it happen.
Mitch rested on his forearms over her compliant body. He stared down into her eyes and knew there was no turning back. He’d been a fool to think he could ever resist her.
“You are the sexiest woman I’ve ever met.” He gave her the words she’d teasingly asked for, and he meant every syllable. It was no joke to him.
Mitch had been pursued by women—human, cat shifter, even a werewolf bitch. He’d let a few of them catch him…for a time. He’d enjoyed women and liked to think he’d treated his lovers well. He’d thought he had a way with them. But nothing and no one could have prepared him for Gina. She was in a class by herself.
It wasn’t just that she was royalty. That was pretty much beside the point now. He had used their differences in station to set them apart, but with his change of stripes, he just didn’t know where that left him. And right now, he didn’t really care.
All that mattered was Gina, and the hunger that could no longer be denied.
He lowered himself over her so that he was pressed against her from
head to toe. Full body contact, though their clothing got in the way. He kept the majority of his weight off her and enjoyed the feeling of enveloping her, taking her in, covering her, protecting her. It made him feel stronger than he ever had before that this amazing woman gave him the gift of her trust.
“I’m going to make love to you,” he warned. If she wanted him to stop, he had to know now.
“Thank the Goddess for that.”
Her exasperated and relieved tone made him chuckle. Only Gina could do that. Only she could make him laugh, finding joy in the simplest of things. Being with her was a treat. A delight to his senses.
“I think we’re both overdressed.” He smiled down at her, remaining motionless. He was enjoying the moment almost too much. He didn’t want to move, though he knew he had to if they were going to speed things along.
“Get up and I’ll remedy that.” Her expression dared him to play. And cats loved to play.
Mitch rolled to the side and lay on the soft fur while she did a slow striptease for him. Oh, yeah. If he died now, he’d be a happy man. Although he’d be even happier after he finally sank inside her body and made her his. He’d wait to die until at least after the third or fourth million time he’d had her…if he could.
He didn’t want to think about their uncertain future while Gina revealed herself inch by slow, teasing inch. She was a beautiful woman with a lithe body, honed in the dojo. She’d impressed him with her tumbling skills and ability to defend herself. He was glad she had that training. Theirs was a dangerous and uncertain world.
But he pushed those thoughts aside as she bared her breasts to his gaze. Nudity among shifters wasn’t a big deal, usually. Gina’s nudity, however, set his body tingling and his blood to boil. She was gorgeous. Every inch of her skin was creamy and, as he already knew, delicious. He wanted to taste her again. Lick her like the cat that shared his soul. Wrap her in his arms and never let go.
When she was bare, she moved toward him like the cat she was, prowling over his body. She kissed him, one knee on either side of his hips, her hands on the floor on either side of his head. She leaned down and took his mouth with a fierce femininity that took his breath away. The daring in her smile as she lifted her mouth from his for a moment made him smile in return.
His little she-cat wanted to play. She dove back in, nipping his lower lip between her teeth. It didn’t hurt, but it spiked his desire higher.
He raised his hands as he took control of the kiss, cupping her breasts and squeezing the hard peaks as she whimpered, telling him of her excitement. She moved into his touch, silently asking for more.
He wanted to touch every inch of her, learning her peaks and valleys. Mapping out the terrain of her desire, understanding what made her squeak and what made her moan. It would be his life’s study. Learning how to please her was something he looked forward to with every fiber of his being.
He moved his hands lower as he sent his tongue into her mouth. She responded, undulating her hips, arching her back, allowing him easy access to the secret treasure revealed between her luscious thighs. Her knees were already apart, one on either side of him, so it was a simple matter to let his hand roam into the hot moisture that gathered at their apex.
One hand in front, one cupping her amazing ass, he alternately squeezed and stroked, learning her contours and what made her wiggle against him for more. He dipped one finger into her channel, loving the tightness, the way her body welcomed him and tried to hold him within. He went back with two fingers, stretching her a little, wanting there to be no discomfort when he finally put his cock inside her tight opening.
She moved on his hand, pumping up and down as if to drive him deeper. She fucked his fingers and moaned into his mouth as he deepened both the kiss and the penetration. He added another finger for good measure, stretching her even more.
Gina went wild in his arms, squirming closer and increasing her movements until she shattered. Her climax hit and she lifted her head. He let her go, watching her ride his hand and wanting to be inside her the next time she came.
He flipped her over, reversing their positions so that she lay under him as he stripped off his shirt and then lowered his pants. He sprang free, ready and eager to claim her. When she looked up at him with that dreamy expression in her lovely blue eyes, he couldn’t stop himself.
Mitch lowered himself over her, glad when she eagerly spread her legs and wrapped them around his hips. She seemed as eager as he was, despite her recent climax. He couldn’t wait. He needed to be inside her. Now.
Holding her gaze, he slid into position and then took possession, watching her for any sign of discomfort. But he saw only welcome and a deep satisfaction in her eyes when he finally joined them in one long, sliding glide. They fit together like two halves of a whole. As if she’d been made for him alone and he for her.
Mitch could’ve sworn he heard soft notes of the Goddess’s chimes as he finally claimed his mate. His mate. The concept floored him. That this special, incredible woman could be his.
“Gina,” he whispered, nearly overcome with emotion. The enormity of what he was feeling expanded his heart to envelop her, taking her within forevermore.
She gasped as he began to move, slowly rocking within her, testing the motion that would not be denied. He wanted this moment to last forever, but he couldn’t hold it. Urgency rode him. The driving need to come. To make her come. To give and receive pleasure. He wasn’t entirely sure he’d survive it, but it didn’t matter. All that mattered was Gina. Amazing Gina. And the love in his newly awakened heart for her.
Chapter Nine
Gina gasped as Mitch began to move. He was big. Bigger than the few men she’d dated in medical school. They’d been purely human and totally unaware of her true nature. They’d scratched an itch and stroked the tigress into satisfaction. For a while. But nothing and no one could have prepared her for the overwhelming force of nature that was Mitch.
He began to pump his hips, his long, thick cock touching her inside in ways that made her squirm to get closer. It mad her yearn for more. She wanted everything he would give her and more. She wanted him. Forever.
“Mitch,” she breathed his name as he moved closer, his mouth nipping at her neck, his lower body moving faster as he picked up the pace. Her insides were quivering, waiting for the explosion she craved.
“You’re mine, little tigress. Now and forever, you’re mine,” he whispered near her ear, driving her wild. “Say it,” he demanded.
“I’m yours,” she agreed readily on a gasp as he changed his pace again. Oh, yeah. But she wanted more. “You’re mine too,” she insisted, her voice breathy as he drove her wild with his new rhythm.
Her words made him growl and she knew he liked her possessiveness. The tigress in her stretched, reaching for her mate.
“I’m yours, my princess. My mate,” he agreed, his raw, sexy voice setting little fires in her bloodstream.
His mouth claimed hers again in a tempestuous kiss as his lower body began an even more urgent movement. It wouldn’t be long now. Thank the Mother of All.
And then he ended this kiss, lowering his mouth to her neck and the soft spot where it met her shoulder. He nipped her skin until he found the perfect spot. And then he bit down hard as her world exploded. She raised her head off the floor, seeking blindly for him.
She found the sweet spot and unleashed her beast, biting in return as he groaned deep in his chest, his hips stopping while he was deep inside her, every muscle in his body tensing for a long, glorious moment as they both came. Together.
Gina was blown away by the experience she’d just shared with Mitch. She hadn’t known sex could be so primal, so breathtakingly raw and urgent. He’d wowed her on every level, and she was very much afraid her senses were singed by the experience and would never recover.
She lazed on the sheepskin rug in front of the fireplace, snuggled up against Mitch as his breathing slowed. He kept one arm around her, seeming to enjoy her closeness.
She’d never cuddled after sex before. The humans she’d been with hadn’t wanted it and she hadn’t really cared enough to bother.
But with Mitch, everything was different. She wanted to touch him, to stroke his skin, to be stroked in return. She wanted it all with him. All of it. Forever.
“We didn’t use anything,” Mitch commented in a quiet, deliberate voice once his breathing had slowed enough to speak normally. He stroked one finger in slow lines up and down her arm, as if he too craved the touch of her skin. “Condoms, I mean,” he clarified, turning his head to meet her gaze.
Truthfully, she hadn’t thought beyond the moment, but his reaction to the idea made her pause. He didn’t look panicked. He almost looked…hopeful? Would he be happy if a child resulted from what they’d just done? She searched her heart and knew she would.
Realizing that, her response to his statement was simple. She put one hand over his heart, feeling it beat against her palm through his hot skin.
“I want your babies, Mitch. A whole little tribe of tiger cubs to romp and play in our house and brighten our lives.” She traced circles on his chest as his heart sped up in what she hoped was pleased excitement.
She felt that he was watching her, so she raised her gaze to meet his again and found a sadness there that she had been expecting. Sadness and regret. She felt it too. They both knew this was a moment of peace in a turbulent time that could go either way for them.
“It’s a dream I will savor,” he said with a seriousness that she understood.
“It’s a dream I want to see come true,” she countered. “If I get pregnant, the Mother of All wills it. I’d like to have your cub, Mitch, regardless of how things go with the challenge.”
“I wouldn’t want to leave a cub fatherless, or leave you alone to raise him or her.” His gaze narrowed as the troubled thoughts crossed his mind.
“All the more incentive to survive,” she whispered. He looked shocked and angered, but she calmed him. “I don’t mean it the way you’re thinking. Our baby would never be a pawn to me. I would love and protect our child as I love you, Mitch.”
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